The women's 3000 metres event at the 1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships was held on March 8.
Results edit
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Gabriela Szabo |  Romania |
8:45.75 | WL |
 |
Sonia O'Sullivan |  Ireland |
8:46.19 | NR |
 |
Fernanda Ribeiro |  Portugal |
8:49.79 | |
| 4 | Marina Bastos | Portugal |
8:52.64 | |
| 5 | Marta Domínguez |  Spain |
8:52.74 | NR |
| 6 | Olga Yegorova |  Russia |
8:52.99 | PB |
| 7 | Farida Fatès |  France |
8:54.98 | PB |
| 8 | Laurence Duquénoy | France |
9:00.27 | |
| 9 | Luminita Gogîrlea | Romania |
9:00.75 | SB |
| 10 | Estíbaliz Urrutia | Spain |
9:01.68 | PB |
| 11 | Etaferahu Tarekegne |  Ethiopia |
9:02.42 | AR |
| 12 | Cheri Goddard |  United States |
9:04.05 | |
| 13 | Kristina da Fonseca-Wollheim |  Germany |
9:05.78 | |
| 14 | Luminita Zaituc | Germany |
9:17.50 | |
| 15 | Sinéad Delahunty | Ireland |
9:19.93 |